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Thursday, July 7, 2016

After spending almost a month at
Trail’s End Ranch (TER) in Ekalaka, Montana, it is pretty safe to say, it has
been a long time since I have been that challenged.

I believe God had been preparing my
husband for “such a time as this” (as it says in the book of Esther). Charlie’s life resume’ was proof…. we looked
back at his years of teaching, his experiences working at summer camps and
ultimately, his commitment to Christ. I
was excited for him and the opportunity for both of us to minister at this
amazing place.

However, there was a slice of reality
staring us in the face: I have no
gifting in the world of teaching small children much of anything. Mind you, I loved parenting, am over-the-top
crazy about grand parenting and enjoy our friends’ children. But please don’t ask me to teach groups of
kids or be a cabin counselor!

And what about the whole camping
experience? ….again, not my thing! So why was I so excited about working at TER? Second guessing God can be a bit risky. None-the-less, I believed God had a HUGE plan
for Charlie…. and I got to be part of it! There were plenty of things for me to do but
it was primarily about Charlie’s “call” and my support.

I knew it would be challenging and
hard but I also knew God was up to something and He did not disappoint. I was stretched!

First:
Participating in two weeks of staff training gave us much needed
preparation and opportunities to bond with the young staff. What a varied group of young men and women;
we were clearly the “oldsters” in the group.
As I listened to personal testimonies, I was amazed at the things these
young people had already had to wrestle with.
How would I begin to relate to them?
Would they learn to trust me? (I was the age of their grandmothers.) How were we all going to become a cohesive
community, ready to help campers come to know Jesus and grow in Him?

Surely Jesus faced some of the same
challenges as He pulled together His team!
His disciples were a cross section of the current culture. I mean, throw a tax collector (not exactly a
liked or trusted occupation) in an intimate setting with a rough and rugged
fisherman and watch the sparks fly! How
Jesus impacted those 12 men set the pattern for what happens anytime He is at
the center.

Second:
There were the physical challenges.
It was hot and dusty walking up and down those hills plus we were 5000
feet above sea level. (see my last blog.) I did not sleep well so experienced almost
daily fatigue. And working in the “snak
shak” the second two weeks was physically draining.

Third: I was clearly operating outside my area of
giftedness (my personal ministry is focused on grown up women), as I learned
new skills. I worked hard at just
keeping up with it all!

God was SO faithful. I lived out Philippians 4:13, “I
can do all things through HimWho strengthens me.” Over the two weeks of staff training I became
close to some of the young summer staff and
enjoyed wonderful connections with the full time staff and their families. Through the physical challenges, I was better
exercised than I have been in a long time….I was able to take those hills “in a
single bound”….well, sort of.

There were mornings I just wanted to
jump in our car and head home but ALWAYS, into the day, I would realize how
much I LOVED being there! Go
figure! I believe it had everything to
do with realizing how privileged we were to actually be able to participate in
such a strong ministry.

In the words of Jesus, “I tell
you, open your eyes and look at the fields!
They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35b)

I loved being in Montana but there
are “fields ripe for harvest” right where I live, and where you live. God calls ALL believers to actively work in
His fields. Where has God called
you? I would love for you to leave your
story in the comments section at the end of this blog post; let’s encourage one
another.